Aberdeenshire will next month host Scotland’s national sheep
event, NSA Scotsheep 2006, for the first time since 1993.

NSA Scotsheep 2006 will be held on one of the best known upland
stock farms in North-east Scotland - Wellheads, Huntly - on Wednesday,
June 7, courtesy of the Gordon family.

It is being organised by the Scottish Region of the National Sheep
Association with Bank of Scotland Corporate as major sponsor.

With generous financial backing from the bank and other mainline,
national and local sponsors, and a comprehensive programme of demonstrations,
breed society exhibits, sheep dog trials, ATV and stockjudging
competitions, practical demonstration, trade stands, farm tour
and seminars, NSA Scotsheep is shaping up to be one of the best
since the event was first held in 1979.

“Wellheads is a most impressive and well-managed sheep and
beef farm and will make an excellent venue for NSA Scotsheep,” said
NSA Scotland chairman, Hamish Waugh, Effgill, Westerkirk, Langholm,
Dumfries-shire.

“We are grateful to the Gordon family, and to the local
organising committee, who are putting so much effort into making
this year’s NSA Scotsheep another memorable event for the
sheep industry in Scotland.”

Farmer, John Gordon, is looking forward to welcoming thousands
of sheep farmers from all over Scotland – and further afield – to
view the flock of 830 ewes and 230 suckler cows which graze the
farm’s 1250 acres, rising from 600ft at the steading to 1230ft
at the top of the hill with spectacular views to the Moray Firth
and beyond.

John, a director of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society
of Scotland and a former chairman of the Scottish Association of
Young Farmers’ Clubs, says hosting NSA Scotsheep is an opportunity
for him to repay the farming community for the enjoyment he has
had attending similar events on other people’s farms over
the years.

“It is an honour to be asked to host NSA Scotsheep at Wellheads
and we will be doing everything possible, along with the local
organising committee, to make it a successful and worthwhile event
for the Scottish sheep industry,” he says.

Features of NSA Scotsheep will include more than 100 trade stands
and displays by no fewer than 28 breed societies.

“We are grateful to all the sponsors, trade stand exhibitors
and breed societies who ensure the success of NSA Scotsheep,” said
organising committee chairman, John Gregor, general manager of
Aberdeen and Northern Marts.

“The organising committee has been working very hard to
create a varied programme of activities which will be of interest
to all sheep farmers.”

NSA Scotsheep will be officially opened at 10.30 a.m. by Exeter
farmer Peter Baber, chairman of the National Sheep Association,
and there will be a comprehensive programme of seminars on a range
of topical subjects throughout the day.

Seminar speakers will include New Zealand sheep expert, Dr George
Cruickshank, SAC sheep specialist, Dr John Vipond, and Farmers
Weekly Sheep Farmer of the Year, Marcus Maxwell, Castle Douglas.
A seminar on sheep health will be chaired by Prof Julie Fitzpatrick,
chief executive of Moredun Institute, with two of her Moredun colleagues
as speakers, Prof Willie Donachie and Dr David Buxton.

The seminar programme will conclude with a Question Time session
chaired by Donald Biggar, interim chairman of Quality Meat Scotland.
Members of the panel will include Aberdeenshire sheep farmer, Alan
Ross, Woodhead Bros’ livestock buyer, Paul Barker, and QMS
marketing controller, Laurent Vernet.

In the area adjacent to the NSA seminars, QMS will be hosting
mini versions of the on-farm Estimated Breeding Value (EBV) workshops,
lamb grading workshops, culminating with lamb carcase butchery
demonstrations. The combined workshops will help farmers to use
breeding value figures to improve growth rates, carcase conformation
and reduce fat levels, develop the skills to handle and assess
prime lambs for the market place and compare visually the differences
that fat levels can make to the end product. This will be the first
time that these workshops have been run in Scotland at the same
time and will very much be a hands-on experience.

This year will also see the launch of a new competition to choose
the NSA Scotsheep 2006 Young Shepherd of the Year. Competitors
(aged 26 years and under) will be required to carry out a number
of tasks, including sheep shearing, ATV handling and selecting
prime lambs for slaughter, as well as answering questions on foot
care techniques and handling, vaccination and dosing, flock management
and health issues.

The winner will receive the NSA Scotsheep Trophy, presented by
the NSA Scottish Region, and a cash prize of £300 sponsored
by Bryce Suma Post Drivers and the two first prize winners in the
senior and junior (under 21) categories will qualify to compete
in the national Young Shepherd of the Year competition at NSA Sheep
2006.

There will also be a stockjudging competition sponsored by Seafield
Veterinary Group, Keith,

The introduction of school visits was a highly successful innovation
at NSA Scotsheep 2004 and is to be repeated this year. Arrangements
are being made by the Royal Northern Countryside Initiative and
coach transport is being sponsored by the National Sheep Association.
Up to 300 primary school children will be taken on a conducted
tour of the event by a team of experienced volunteers and various
competitions and quizzes are being devised for their education
and entertainment.

National sponsors include Caltech, Janssen Animal Health, Scotbeef,
Stewart Agricultural and United Auctions and the local sponsors
will be Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Farmers, McIntosh Donald,
Norvite, Pratley Sales Northern, Rozzas of Huntly and Towns and
Carnie.

The first NSA Scotsheep was held in 1979 and was last held in
Aberdeenshire in 1993 on the farm of Harry Emslie, Brae of Coynach,
Mintlaw. Two years ago, the event was held on the farm of Willie
Davidson, Poldean, Wamphray, nr Moffat, Dumfries-shire.